How to get your child to eat fruit?

not the best picure...but it works for the moment

As parents a lot of us struggle with feeding our children three basic meals leave alone those extra portions of fruits as mid meal snacks. Really! The food fight seems eternal for some mothers I know. 

There have been innumerable instances when I have met friends complaining their kids don’t touch a fruit. 

For me a day without fruit is counted a day incomplete. I need to have a portion if not portions of fruits everyday. It is just a habit that I have inculcated in my lifestyle and also into adira’s now. Whether it be a vacation or a staycation or just a routine day at home, fruits are a must. 

So here are a few suggestions that might help you with feeding your child some fruitilicious goodness.

START EARLY: Most babies can start eating a fruit at 5 months. So you start with the mushy ones like banana and chiku. The sooner they develop a taste for fruits the better.

PARENTS MUST EAT FRUIT: Yes you read that right! If you want your child to eat fruit you must eat it yourself first. Kids imitate family habits really fast. They observe and pick them at an alarmingly fast rate. So if you eat fruit, your child will most likely accept the idea of it. 

DO NOT FORCE: Force never works with children. If you have tried various ways of feeding them fruit earlier then just enjoy a fruit platter yourself in front of your kid. Show no interest in offering the fruit to your child and make enjoyable expressions while eating the fruit. The curiosity will make your child want to try the fruit you are having. 

TRY NEW FRUITS: Offer various fruits to your child and not only the sweet ones. Every child has a different taste. Some prefer tangy fruits over the sweeter ones. 

PRETEND AND PLAY: Pretend and play toys are a great way to teach your kids about fruits and vegetables and make them more amiable towards them. Once they are accustomed to the fruit toys, introduce them with the real fruit. You can get their attention by saying " oh you too have an orange in your grocery basket right?". Let them peel fruits like banana, orange and pomegranate. Yes, it will be a little mess but it is a great activity for them which will keep them busy for a bit (better than screen right?) and you can also teach them that the non-chewable thing in the centre of the fruit is called seed.

GROCERY SHOPPING: Let your children accompany you to the supermarket. Let them help you in picking up fruits and veggies. This way they are more likely to eat since they have picked up the stuff themselves. 

FROZEN FRUIT POPSICLES: Fresh fruit ice Lollies are a wonderful way to get some fruit into your stubborn child. They are super easy to make and always get kids excited. After all they are having an icecream. It’s a win-win for you both.

GAMES AND FRUITS: Feeding becomes easy and difficult both when the child is playing. Easy because the child is busy enjoying playtime and is likely to accept food/fruit and difficult because a lot of running around is involved. So if you are really tired of trying to feed your child you might as well try this one. If you look at it positively then you are feeding your child and working out at the same time LOL.

PATIENCE: Last but not the least is patience. You got to be patient. Parenthood is a never ending test of your patience. Do not give up on feeding your child fruit. Keep trying. If he/she rejects a fruit for consecutive days, then stop and give it a break of few days and then try again. You can make them smoothies, or a fresh juice. Observation is the key. Take close note of your child’s likes and dislikes and tastes. Slowly and steadily you will see change. 

Let me know if these suggestions help you. Would love to hear from you. Till next time wishing you the very best with the feeding process.